BShaw99
Jul 31, 2025
Writing Feedback / Combating Human Trafficking - English Final Paper [2]
Combating Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery that affects individuals across the United States by violating human rights, targeting children, and forced labor. Despite years of progress in freedom, human trafficking remains a growing concern with each generation. What was once thought to be a resolved issue of the past has now transformed into a growing crisis.
A disturbing truth haunts today's world: slavery has not been eliminated; it has evolved in a more silent form. The growing using of technology and venerability makes it that much more difficult to combat. The use of phones and several fake accounts makes tracking traffickers more difficult and harder to trace. Today almost every person gets lost looking at their phones. Think of the last time you stood in line for a coffee. Did you notice how many people were glued to their phone screens, having no human interaction. They pay no regard to their surroundings. Vulnerability is on the rise not only in the public eye but now on a phone screen. Americans have a false since of security thinking these issues do not apply to them. It is easy for a trafficking to make a fake account, pretend to be someone they are not, and delete the evidence in the blink of an eye. In 2013, The New York Times reported that there were 27 million victims of slavery worldwide versus 25 million in 1860. The numbers indicted are more than just a shocking statistic. The rise in numbers reflects a failure, not just in the legal system but overall, with our awareness. The numbers are real people, family, friends, and neighbors. These people were all mistreated whether it be forced labor, or sex work. They all endured a traumatic experience. At some point, the United State's priorities shifted. The number of slaves should continue to go down, with increasing technology the United States should see and hear things before they become an issue of concern.
Nearly one and a half centuries ago, the U.S. outlawed slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment, and today it is recognized worldwide as a violation of human rights (Info Base). The U.S banned slavery, but the number continue to rise. The persistence of human trafficking in today's world is a sign of failure in the legal system, and public knowledge of the issue. The legal system simply has a lack of help. The United States does not provide sufficient forms of protection from predators. Police offers are under paid and over worked. If the US increased wages and staff the number of cases could potentially increase the number of successful interventions. More law enforcement would need to be mixed with better education on the issue. Americans are unaware of how serious trafficking has become and how much of a difference preventative measures can make. Noticing a strange car parked somewhere everyday could go unnoticed to most people, but looking out for odd behavior is important. Human trafficking is a violation of human dignity. It is leading to a moral criss. What can we do differently to ensure the safety of those we love?
Americans seem to view human trafficking as not their problem, more of something that happens in other countries. They are under the false idea that these situations could never happen to them. Unfortunately, the evidence says otherwise. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, more than 80 percent of reported cases in the United States in 2023 involved sex trafficking (68 percent) or a combination of sexual exploitation and forced labor (12.5 percent)(Gale). These numbers are a scary truth that the majority of human trafficking victims are subject to abuse and violence. Americans do not see the major threat of something until it happens directly to them. Human trafficking is not something to take lightly, it's better to be prepared and it never happen than to happen and you are not prepared for it. The research was eye opening. I did not consider how big of an issue was until I read the victim testimonies and the statistics.
Human trafficking is not just an issue for adults. Children are the easiest target for persuasion. "Children who have passed through the foster care system account for a large number of victims in the United States. One in six endangered runaway minors who were reported to NCMEC (National Center for Mission & Exploited Children) in 2023 were believed to be victims of sex trafficking" (Gale). These children could be our neighbors, classmates, or even family. It is essential to check on the people you love and let them know they are safe with you. This statistic should be enough to make everyone aware of just how serious human trafficking is. It could happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. It is very unpredictable. These children in danger are people you most likely know and care about. This includes your children, neighbors, coworkers, and employees. When people understand that this issue is not just in other countries and is knocking on our front door, the issue becomes real.
At the rate that human trafficking continues to rise, the future does not look promising. Children are becoming more and more vulnerable to do a lack of law enforcement, lack of education regarding human trafficking, and the improper use of social media. Schools should be enforcing lessons and programs to keep children aware of the deceptive techniques that a human trafficker might use. For example, a stranger offering to take a child home from school so they do not have to walk. It is a very common scheme to get children alone with them. Teachers ensuring children know that this is wrong could save a life. It only takes one human trafficker and one vulnerable child or young adult for things to go wrong.
If society cannot understand the severity of the issue, there will be no change. Society needs to understand this issue is hitting very close to home. Parents are key factors in ensuring a child is safe. This is more than just ensuring a child is safe when a parent is nearby. A parent ensures safety by educating their child on who not to talk to when a parent is not close by, or making sure a child knows not to take a ride from a stranger or accept free gifts. Staying informed of warning signs is a parent and child's first line of defense.
Monitoring social media is a key role in today's world. Social media is a whole other world where children can see and hear things that are above their age range. Explaining to children what is right and wrong could be a life-or-death difference. Encouraging open conversations with children is also beneficial. It promotes a tell all environment where a child feels safe to tell their parent all details.
While social media can be a bad thing, it can also be used for the better. It takes seconds to type a post of Facebook and publish it for the whole world to see. Utilizing social media for the better is a great way to get information out fast and far. Communitas could utilize Facebook groups to notify each other of suspicious behavior. If there is a strange individual walking through town, it would be great to let everyone know at one time. The faster you can get word out, the better. Social media can be a form of danger, but a child educated on the proper use of it, could make a world of difference. Phones now come with tracking devices/applications. These applications are great for parents, it lets you know where your child is even if their phone was shut off.
While law enforcement has a crucial role to play, education is most effective in protecting against human trafficking. The earlier a person knows the red flags and warning signs the better off they will be. A parent noticing a change in their child's behavior or new expensive items could be a sign the child is being groomed. Grooming means to bribe or ensure a child's trust in you by buying them nice gifts. Teaching a child to avoid suspicious people, and do not trust someone you do not know, could save a life. Empower children with the knowledge of what to look for and who to report to. Creating safety programs to teach children what to report, and where to go in case of an emergency would be beneficial. If a child is not near home, they need a safe place they know they can go to in an emergency.
Victims often feel a sense of fear from the trauma of human trafficking. They fear retaliation from their abusers. They do not want to speak out, they would rather hold in their emotions. Some victims were even arrested for being involved in these illegal crimes. Creating a safe place for victims, without fear of consequence would help our law enforcement officers pinpoint where these attacks are happening. We should be focusing on keeping the children of America safe not punishing them for possibly being wrapped up with the wrong crowd. No individual wants to be involved in human trafficking, but some victims have no choice but to be surrounded by harmful individuals. To some crime is all a victim may know. It is our job and responsibly to reassure victims they are not to blame and provide a safe place for them to run to.
There are agencies that have been created to target and take down traffic operations. These agencies include Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Homeland Security plays an integral role in combatting human trafficking by working with its law enforcement partners to deter, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal network engaged in trafficking activities (ICE). These agencies work together to provide critical processes to ensure the safety of all people susceptible to human trafficking. Agencies might intervene physical when it is necessary, but education and community awareness is key. Knowing how to contact these agencies and utilize them is important. There are numbers listed on each website. A simple google search will send you in the right direction. These agency websites also provide a user with victim impact statements. These statements include how the victim got wrapped up in the situation, what happened to them during that time, and the steps they took to receive appropriate help. These statements would be beneficial to read at any age. It is great examples of how you can survive an awful situation. It also shows just how serious human trafficking is and how it is happening right under our feet.
Education is one of the most valuable resources to a solution, but support from our law enforcement is just as crucial. Supporting local law enforcement dedicated to trafficking cases promotes human traffickers to stop. Human traffickers catch wind that law enforcement is nearby or close to finding them, the less likely a trafficking operation is to continue to run. Law enforcement works closely with schools and parents to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior. Officers serve as great resources for educating and advocating. Local law enforcement working with schools and families increase the trust and bonds instilled in the small-town communities. Utilizing your trusted friends and neighbors is a great way to create a sense of peace, knowing everyone is looking out for everyone.
Knowing the signs and working together is so important to keep everyone safe. It just takes one friendly neighbor to see something off, or a teacher noticing a child is absent from school without reason. A great community is crucial in today's world. In today's world people do not care about something until its right under their nose, by that time it is too late. The world is constantly changing and that requires individuals to change with it. Utilizing the resources offered is a great step to making the United States safe.
Human trafficking is no longer in the past, it is here now. It is an ongoing issue that affects thousands of people every single day. It continues to hold thousands of slaves' hostage. The rise is human trafficking is against everything the United States worked so hard to get rid of. Controlling human trafficking will take more than just more law enforcement and better education. It will take law enforcement working beside schools to create a safe space, it will take schools providing a place where children feel safe to express what dangers they might encounter, and parent's willing to teach their children from rights and wrongs. Combating human trafficking will require every single person to be all in, all the time. Every American should take part is the fight against human trafficking.
Combating Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery that affects individuals across the United States by violating human rights, targeting children, and forced labor. Despite years of progress in freedom, human trafficking remains a growing concern with each generation. What was once thought to be a resolved issue of the past has now transformed into a growing crisis.
A disturbing truth haunts today's world: slavery has not been eliminated; it has evolved in a more silent form. The growing using of technology and venerability makes it that much more difficult to combat. The use of phones and several fake accounts makes tracking traffickers more difficult and harder to trace. Today almost every person gets lost looking at their phones. Think of the last time you stood in line for a coffee. Did you notice how many people were glued to their phone screens, having no human interaction. They pay no regard to their surroundings. Vulnerability is on the rise not only in the public eye but now on a phone screen. Americans have a false since of security thinking these issues do not apply to them. It is easy for a trafficking to make a fake account, pretend to be someone they are not, and delete the evidence in the blink of an eye. In 2013, The New York Times reported that there were 27 million victims of slavery worldwide versus 25 million in 1860. The numbers indicted are more than just a shocking statistic. The rise in numbers reflects a failure, not just in the legal system but overall, with our awareness. The numbers are real people, family, friends, and neighbors. These people were all mistreated whether it be forced labor, or sex work. They all endured a traumatic experience. At some point, the United State's priorities shifted. The number of slaves should continue to go down, with increasing technology the United States should see and hear things before they become an issue of concern.
Nearly one and a half centuries ago, the U.S. outlawed slavery with the ratification of the 13th Amendment, and today it is recognized worldwide as a violation of human rights (Info Base). The U.S banned slavery, but the number continue to rise. The persistence of human trafficking in today's world is a sign of failure in the legal system, and public knowledge of the issue. The legal system simply has a lack of help. The United States does not provide sufficient forms of protection from predators. Police offers are under paid and over worked. If the US increased wages and staff the number of cases could potentially increase the number of successful interventions. More law enforcement would need to be mixed with better education on the issue. Americans are unaware of how serious trafficking has become and how much of a difference preventative measures can make. Noticing a strange car parked somewhere everyday could go unnoticed to most people, but looking out for odd behavior is important. Human trafficking is a violation of human dignity. It is leading to a moral criss. What can we do differently to ensure the safety of those we love?
Americans seem to view human trafficking as not their problem, more of something that happens in other countries. They are under the false idea that these situations could never happen to them. Unfortunately, the evidence says otherwise. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, more than 80 percent of reported cases in the United States in 2023 involved sex trafficking (68 percent) or a combination of sexual exploitation and forced labor (12.5 percent)(Gale). These numbers are a scary truth that the majority of human trafficking victims are subject to abuse and violence. Americans do not see the major threat of something until it happens directly to them. Human trafficking is not something to take lightly, it's better to be prepared and it never happen than to happen and you are not prepared for it. The research was eye opening. I did not consider how big of an issue was until I read the victim testimonies and the statistics.
Human trafficking is not just an issue for adults. Children are the easiest target for persuasion. "Children who have passed through the foster care system account for a large number of victims in the United States. One in six endangered runaway minors who were reported to NCMEC (National Center for Mission & Exploited Children) in 2023 were believed to be victims of sex trafficking" (Gale). These children could be our neighbors, classmates, or even family. It is essential to check on the people you love and let them know they are safe with you. This statistic should be enough to make everyone aware of just how serious human trafficking is. It could happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. It is very unpredictable. These children in danger are people you most likely know and care about. This includes your children, neighbors, coworkers, and employees. When people understand that this issue is not just in other countries and is knocking on our front door, the issue becomes real.
At the rate that human trafficking continues to rise, the future does not look promising. Children are becoming more and more vulnerable to do a lack of law enforcement, lack of education regarding human trafficking, and the improper use of social media. Schools should be enforcing lessons and programs to keep children aware of the deceptive techniques that a human trafficker might use. For example, a stranger offering to take a child home from school so they do not have to walk. It is a very common scheme to get children alone with them. Teachers ensuring children know that this is wrong could save a life. It only takes one human trafficker and one vulnerable child or young adult for things to go wrong.
If society cannot understand the severity of the issue, there will be no change. Society needs to understand this issue is hitting very close to home. Parents are key factors in ensuring a child is safe. This is more than just ensuring a child is safe when a parent is nearby. A parent ensures safety by educating their child on who not to talk to when a parent is not close by, or making sure a child knows not to take a ride from a stranger or accept free gifts. Staying informed of warning signs is a parent and child's first line of defense.
Monitoring social media is a key role in today's world. Social media is a whole other world where children can see and hear things that are above their age range. Explaining to children what is right and wrong could be a life-or-death difference. Encouraging open conversations with children is also beneficial. It promotes a tell all environment where a child feels safe to tell their parent all details.
While social media can be a bad thing, it can also be used for the better. It takes seconds to type a post of Facebook and publish it for the whole world to see. Utilizing social media for the better is a great way to get information out fast and far. Communitas could utilize Facebook groups to notify each other of suspicious behavior. If there is a strange individual walking through town, it would be great to let everyone know at one time. The faster you can get word out, the better. Social media can be a form of danger, but a child educated on the proper use of it, could make a world of difference. Phones now come with tracking devices/applications. These applications are great for parents, it lets you know where your child is even if their phone was shut off.
While law enforcement has a crucial role to play, education is most effective in protecting against human trafficking. The earlier a person knows the red flags and warning signs the better off they will be. A parent noticing a change in their child's behavior or new expensive items could be a sign the child is being groomed. Grooming means to bribe or ensure a child's trust in you by buying them nice gifts. Teaching a child to avoid suspicious people, and do not trust someone you do not know, could save a life. Empower children with the knowledge of what to look for and who to report to. Creating safety programs to teach children what to report, and where to go in case of an emergency would be beneficial. If a child is not near home, they need a safe place they know they can go to in an emergency.
Victims often feel a sense of fear from the trauma of human trafficking. They fear retaliation from their abusers. They do not want to speak out, they would rather hold in their emotions. Some victims were even arrested for being involved in these illegal crimes. Creating a safe place for victims, without fear of consequence would help our law enforcement officers pinpoint where these attacks are happening. We should be focusing on keeping the children of America safe not punishing them for possibly being wrapped up with the wrong crowd. No individual wants to be involved in human trafficking, but some victims have no choice but to be surrounded by harmful individuals. To some crime is all a victim may know. It is our job and responsibly to reassure victims they are not to blame and provide a safe place for them to run to.
There are agencies that have been created to target and take down traffic operations. These agencies include Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Homeland Security plays an integral role in combatting human trafficking by working with its law enforcement partners to deter, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal network engaged in trafficking activities (ICE). These agencies work together to provide critical processes to ensure the safety of all people susceptible to human trafficking. Agencies might intervene physical when it is necessary, but education and community awareness is key. Knowing how to contact these agencies and utilize them is important. There are numbers listed on each website. A simple google search will send you in the right direction. These agency websites also provide a user with victim impact statements. These statements include how the victim got wrapped up in the situation, what happened to them during that time, and the steps they took to receive appropriate help. These statements would be beneficial to read at any age. It is great examples of how you can survive an awful situation. It also shows just how serious human trafficking is and how it is happening right under our feet.
Education is one of the most valuable resources to a solution, but support from our law enforcement is just as crucial. Supporting local law enforcement dedicated to trafficking cases promotes human traffickers to stop. Human traffickers catch wind that law enforcement is nearby or close to finding them, the less likely a trafficking operation is to continue to run. Law enforcement works closely with schools and parents to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior. Officers serve as great resources for educating and advocating. Local law enforcement working with schools and families increase the trust and bonds instilled in the small-town communities. Utilizing your trusted friends and neighbors is a great way to create a sense of peace, knowing everyone is looking out for everyone.
Knowing the signs and working together is so important to keep everyone safe. It just takes one friendly neighbor to see something off, or a teacher noticing a child is absent from school without reason. A great community is crucial in today's world. In today's world people do not care about something until its right under their nose, by that time it is too late. The world is constantly changing and that requires individuals to change with it. Utilizing the resources offered is a great step to making the United States safe.
Human trafficking is no longer in the past, it is here now. It is an ongoing issue that affects thousands of people every single day. It continues to hold thousands of slaves' hostage. The rise is human trafficking is against everything the United States worked so hard to get rid of. Controlling human trafficking will take more than just more law enforcement and better education. It will take law enforcement working beside schools to create a safe space, it will take schools providing a place where children feel safe to express what dangers they might encounter, and parent's willing to teach their children from rights and wrongs. Combating human trafficking will require every single person to be all in, all the time. Every American should take part is the fight against human trafficking.
